FAMILIES

Our Clients' families support START in many ways. We appreciate all their help...

June 3, 2014

I Needed Help:

I needed help with getting my son Chris to choose meaningful activities during his free time after school. Then his grant was approved and we met with START to begin his home-based program. The service facilitator was very knowledgeable. She took an inventory of Chris’ needs and worked with me to set up learning goals.

I was able to hire a college student from our church to work as a personal support worker (PSW) and teach my son these goals. The PSW has been very enthusiastic about helping Chris. He works on the goals, making it fun for Chris, and even tries to teach him additional skills.

Chris has several sessions each week with his PSW. He’s making progress on his goals. Chris looks forward to meeting with his PSW, and will often ask, “Who’s coming today?”. His PSW also takes him to youth group meetings, sporting events and other activities in the community.

I’m very happy with the START home-based program. It’s helped us a lot. A good amount of Chris’ after school time is now spent learning valuable skills, and he’s enjoying a wider range of experiences.

Lynne Davis

January 16, 2009

Why we value START:

START is a place for Mark to go and do something useful. Mark likes/needs structure and routine. At START Mark can be productively
engaged five days a week.

START is a place where we think Mark is safe and where his
disabilities and idiosyncrasies are understood and for the most part tolerated.

START is a place where Mark has a group of people working to
help him make progress toward as much of a normal life as he can
manage. There are goals and objectives at START that, as much as is
possible, lead toward more independent living for Mark.

Since START provides transportation from where Mark lives to and
from where he works, Mark is able to exercise a great deal of
independence in getting ready for work and doing after work chores in his
apartment without supervision. Typically, he can have a much more
"normal" and "in-community" (a real, typical neighborhood) life since he is
picked up and returned to where he resides. He continues to work toward
being able to manage the time/task skills that will allow him to get ready
for work and return home from work with less and less intense supervision.

Thank you START for being there and caring!

Sincerely, Terry and Wilda Shepperd

October 23, 2009

We are grateful to have such a reliable facility for our daughter to attend since we are both working parents. We are pleased with the services that START (Manning Street) provides for our daughter. She looks forward to attending daily and especially enjoys all the community outings that she is allowed to participate in. We highly recommend start to other families.

Thank you, Elmer and Charlotte Goetz

October 26, 2009

First of all, I want to thank S.T.A.R.T. for all of the opportunities they have given to my son Keith.
Keith has been at S.T.A.R.T. for about 10 years. We checked out S.T.A.R.T. right after Keith graduated from High School. We realized that he would get continued education, make new friends and be a part of the community. He is given the opportunity to work and feel proud of himself. Keith also goes on outing to diferent places with S.T.A.R.T. He has been to the DuQuion State Fair, Apple Festival, Bleyer's Lake, yard sales, different stores and many other places. My husband and I put on a swim party every year at our home for Keith's friends at Manning Street.
Keith has made many friends at START, where as if he stayed home he would just be a couch potato. We are very pleased with all of the opportunities given to Keith at S.T.A.R.T. If you have any questions about placing your loved one at S.T.A.R.T. you can call me at my home.